Improbable
by skylargould04
Summary: "What do you mean you can't explain it to me right now? I need answers!" The window shattered and glass shot out in every direction. Draco took Hermione's hand and pulled her inside her bedroom closet before she could protest. They were in complete silence as the minutes kept ticking by.
1. Silent Mystery

"Search for the Mudblood!" Lucius hissed, "The Dark Lord has given us orders to find her and leave her unharmed. He wants to question her first. She's a friend of the Potter boy. She may lead us to him, if she intends to keep her life."

"Otherwise I'll have to deal with her," Bellatrix cackled as she flicked her tongue in and out of her mouth, exactly like a snake.

Hermione laid on the cold, hard floor, tucked in a tight ball, listening as the Death Eaters contemplated her capture. She lowered her head until her nose touched the cold floor. She put her arms over top of her head protectively and shifted uncomfortably as shivers overtook her body, and shot up her spine. She squeezed herself into an even tighter ball and made sure the invisibility cloak hadn't shifted along with the movement of her body and exposed a part of herself. She pulled it down farther and wrapped herself deeper inside.

Hermione froze as a pair of black leather boots edged closer to her. She knew that she alone could not fight all of the Death Eaters. She cursed herself for not finding a better place to hide.

Hermione let out a silent sigh of relief when the pair of boots walked away in the opposite direction. She curled up even tighter.

"Father, I don't believe she's in here," Draco turned to Lucius.

"Nonsense! She's most likely hiding somewhere," Lucius assured his son.

"Well I don't think she's in here. She's probably somewhere with Potter and Weasley."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I don't see her anywhere, do you?" Before Lucius could reply, Draco begin again, "I can stay behind and search if you would like me too. The search isn't going according to plan anyway. We've only found three Muggles so far. Everyone else has gone into hiding. Go on ahead, I'll catch up soon."

Lucius scoffed and turned to the other Death Eaters. "Come, fellow followers of the Dark Lord. Let us carry on to the next muggle house, and continue our search."

The other Death Eaters drew out their wands, and in a flash each apparated out of Hermione's flat.

Hermione remained still as Draco circled the room.

"Hermione, I know you're in here," Draco broke the silence.

He took a step towards her. Hermione froze in place. His foot bumped her leg and he peeled the cloak off of her back.

"What do you want?"

"Oh yeah, it's nice to see you too Granger," he smirked and offered his hand to her.

She smacked his hand away and stood up on her feet.

"Ow!" Draco cradled his hurt hand.

"Don't you dare touch me!"

"That's no way to treat someone when they're trying to help you," Draco said coldly.

"Help me? Turning me in to be tortured by You-Know-Who is considered helpful?" Hermione was steaming with anger. "Get out of my house!"

"Hold on, you think I'm turning you in?" His tone softened a bit.

"Why else would you be raiding my house, Sherlock?"

"I got rid of them didn't I?" Draco smirked, pleased with himself.

"I… guess you did, but you - help me? That sounds like a load of baloney! Why on Earth would you help me with anything? You hate me remember?"

"I wouldn't say I hate you… just strongly dislike."

"Oh, like that's so much better," Hermione rolled her eyes, "But it still doesn't explain why you're here."

"Hmm… perhaps I did leave out that part, didn't I?"

"You think? Will you please just explain to me why you're here before I hex you?"

Draco held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. What's got your hair in a knot?"

 _Snarky little prat._ Hermione plastered on a fake smile. She waited patiently for him to explain his presence.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"You were going to tell me why you're at my house," Hermione said impatiently.

"Yeah about that, well you see I can't explain that right now."

What do you mean you can't explain it to me right now? I need answers!"

Draco quickly turned in the direction of the window as glass shattered and shot out all over the floor.

Draco took Hermione's hand and pulled her inside of a closet before she could protest.

"What are you… mph." Draco covered her mouth and held onto her shoulders firmly.

She struggled to get away, but he held on too tight.

She gave up after a few minutes of useless struggle. He held on with a firm grip, but stayed silent the whole time. Hermione eventually listened for any noise from the intruder. The only thing she could hear, was shards of glass being crunched under the intruder's shoes and the sound of her own heart beating out of her chest whenever a piece of glass was crunched.

Finally, there was complete silence and Draco removed his hand from Hermione's mouth.

"Next time, just motion for me not to talk instead of putting your "precious Pureblood hands" on my mouth."

 _Hopefully_ _there won't be a next time._

"Now is not the time to talk," Draco whispered harshly, "Let's go."

"How do you know for sure if the intruder's gone? Where are we going? You've got some major explaining to do," Hermione was getting very aggravated with him.

He wouldn't tell her anything at all, and she had so many questions.

"I said to be quiet," he snapped.

Draco took Hermione's hand much to her displeasure, and apparated out of the closet.

They landed in a very large and dark forest. Hermione looked around. This wasn't just any forest, it was the Forbidden Forest. Why of all places would Malfoy apparate here? Unless it was an accident or he didn't focus hard enough.

There were many questions to be answered and problems to be solved. They had a long journey ahead of them.


	2. Remember When

"Watch out!" Draco lunged for Hermione and pushed her to the side so she wouldn't be trampled by the centaur that was heading straight toward them.

Draco tripped on a tree stump, bringing Hermione down with him. She landed right on top of his chest.

"Granger!"

She pushed herself off of him and stood up.

"Hey, it was your fault! I didn't trip, you did. You didn't have to bring me down with you."

"You're right. I should've just let the centaur trample you to death. How stupid of me," Draco said sarcastically.

"Oh just shut up already! Why did you apparate here in the first place? Hermione crossed her arms in front of her chest and rolled her eyes. "Did you know who it was that shattered my window? Was this your plan all along, to get me to come out from hiding so the Death Eaters could raid my house and kidnap me?"

Hermione was out of breath from ranting. She leaned against a tree to catch her breath.

"I'll explain later," Draco told her as he sat down on a tree stump.

"No, you're going to tell me now," Hermione demanded him.

"Granger, you need to take a chill pill."

"Would you be "chill" if you had to be forced into hiding, fear being captured by You-Know-Who, have an intruder break through your bedroom window, be abducted from your home, almost get trampled by a centaur, have no clue about why we're here or anything else in that matter." Hermione was seething at this point, pacing back and forth while keeping her fists clenched at her sides.

"You're just going to have to be patient with me because I'm not allowed to say…"

Draco turned around to where Hermione had been staring and pointing her finger at. Over a hundred Acromantula spiders were moving quickly (as spiders can go) towards them.

Hermione backed up into another tree as Draco stood frozen in place. Hermione hit the back of her head on a branch as she was backing up. Her vision became foggy. The spiders were only inches away. She heard a sound almost like thunder. For a moment she thought the tree was falling over, but instead the tree was falling in. Soon there was a huge opening in the tree, big enough for a person. She thought she heard someone call her name, but couldn't be sure. She took one last step back and tumbled backward where she fell inside the opening of the tree. She hit the bottom, just before everything went black.

"Granger!"

Someone kept nagging her, and she didn't like it one bit.

"Hermione!"

Her eyelids flooded open. A tall, handsome young man with blonde hair and grey eyes sat in front of her.

"You're awake! That was quite a bad fall you had."

"Where am I?"

"We're inside of an enchanted tree. You bumped your head on a branch which somehow made an opening in the tree. I guess it was some kind of lever, and when you hit it, the tree opened up sort of like a secret passage. You fell inside and the spiders had almost reached us. I didn't know where you were at first. I saw the opening in the tree and figured you had fallen inside. I jumped in before the spiders reached me and I found you in here, out cold."

"What spiders?"

"The Acromantula spiders that were coming towards us. There were over hundreds of them. Don't you remember?"

Hermione shook her head no.

"That fall must have taken a toll on you Granger."

"Granger?"

"Yes, your last name. You really are out of it."

"If that's my last name, then what is my first?"

"Okay now you're just messing with me Hermione."

"So is it Hermione?"

"Quit acting so stupid!"

 _I can't_ _believe I just said that to Hermione Granger._

"I'm not acting stupid!"

"Whatever, can you get up on your own or are you too stupid to do that?"

"I'M NOT STUPID!"

"Just get up then."

"Why are you talking to me?"

"Yeesh, you have one bad fall and think you're the queen of the world."

"I'm the queen of the world?"

"Get your stupid arse up!"

"I will, I will. I just have one more question."

Draco tap his foot impatiently. He was getting sick from all the questions she was asking him. She was acting so stupid.

He clenched his teeth together. "Only one," he said impatiently.

"Who are you?"


	3. We Were Friends

_She can't remember anything. She lost her memory. This will be even harder than I thought. She'll be asking questions the whole time. Then again, she doesn't remember who I am. I can get her to trust me if I tell her we were friends. Maybe that will make this easier._ "Granger?"

She pointed to her chest, "That's me isn't it?"

"Yes, that's you. Your name is Hermione Granger."

"Who are you again?"

"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," he smirked, "We were friends."

"We were? I don't remember."

"Of course you don't. You don't remember anything!"

Hermione frowned at his outburst.

"Uh, sor..r.. sorry," Draco winced, he was not one who apologized often.

"I should be the one apologizing."

Draco gave her a dubious look.

"Huh? Why? What for?"

"Well you claim we were friends, but it's true. I don't remember a thing about you."

Maybe that's a good thing.

"If we're friends, then why do you call me by my last name. Granger, right?"

Draco gulped, "Oh yeah, um... well you see **Hermione** , we both call each other by our last names because... _we hate each other's guts and don't bother addressing each other's first_ _names_... we... that's what friends like us do!"

Hermione cocked her eyebrow. She was utterly confused.

"When friends, like us," he gestured towards her and himself, "Are very close…... _what am I_ _saying_ …. they call each other by their last names to show how close of friends they are."

 _Can someone just avada kedavra me already?_

"Okay, **Malfoy**. That's right, isn't it?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Why are we here?"

"I told you already! I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Please stop asking questions, it's making my head hurt."

Hermione looked hurt. "I thought you were my friend."

"Let's just find a way out of here."

"Do we have to? I'm so tired."

 _She never lost her stubbornness. Typical Granger_.

"Whatever, just no more questions. Got it?"

"Got it."

Draco searched for a cozy place to sleep. Of course, there was none because well, trees aren't the coziest places in the world, enchanted or not.

He propped himself up against a large tree root. He closed his eyes to rest. There was a shuddering noise coming from Hermione's direction. Draco opened one eye.

Hermione had also managed to prop herself up, but she was shaking all over. Her teeth were chattering and goosebumps rose on her arms and legs.

Draco sighed and stood up. He walked over to Hermione. She looked up at him. He took off his coat and handed it to her.

"Here," he grumbled, "This should keep you warm."

"Thanks! You really are a great friend."

"Yeah whatever."

Draco walked back to the tree root and sat down. He closed his eyes once again when he saw that Hermione had wrapped herself in his coat and fallen asleep.

 _I'm not becoming soft am I?_ He opened his eyes and looked at Hermione once more. _No, she'll only ever be a stuck-up, stubborn, know-it-all Mudblood to me. Nothing more._ He yawned. _Nothing_ _more_. He closed his eyes and fell asleep. Little did he know, someone had been watching him the whole time.


	4. The Ugly Truth

Draco was awoken by a bright light. At first he thought it was the sunlight shining through, but then he remembered he was inside of the tree. He was reminded by the tree root, which was killing his back.

Draco got up and stretched. He searched for his wand. It was nowhere to be found. Neither was Granger.

"Hermione? Where are you?"

Surely she can't be far. This is a tree after all.

"Hello down there!" Hermione called out at the top of the tree.

Draco looked up. "Wait, what the? How did you manage to get up there, on your own?"

Hermione pulled a stick out of her pocket.

"With this."

"Hey, that's my wand! I've been looking for that. Give it to me."

"What's the magic word?" Hermione giggled.

"I don't have time for this," Draco said agitated, "Give it to me now!"

She held the one behind her back. "Not until you say the magic word," she insisted.

 _Magic word? Does she mean avada kedavra because I'd be honored to say that right about now._

"What magic word?"

"It starts with a P."

Draco shrugged his shoulders.

"P-L-E.."

 _P_ - _L_ _-E, what is this nonsense?_

"P-L-E-A-S..," she continued.

 _P_ - _L-E-A-S, I think I've heard someone say that word once before._

"P-L-E-A-S...E?"

She nodded at him, beaming.

"Can you please give me back my wand?"

"Is that what you call this thing?"

"A wand?" Draco's eyebrows knitted together. _I guess she doesn't remember being a wizard either._

Hermione's mouth formed an "O." She tossed the wand down to him.

"Ah," Draco was pleased to have his wand back in his hands. He turned it over and over.

He looked back up at her. She was staring down at him.

"What?" Draco asked confused.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Hmm… oh yeah, I need to apparate myself out of here."

"You forgot to say something to me."

"What would that be?"

"Um, a thank-you would be nice."

"Uh… thank-you?" Draco said it more like a question.

"You're welcome!"

 _Please and thank-you? What is this crimney?_

Draco raised his wand and apparated himself out of the tree.

He landed beside Hermione with a soft thump.

"How did you get my wand in the first place?"

"It was in your pocket."

Draco blushed. "Why were you in my pocket?"

"I was looking for Nargles of course."

 _Nargles? Loony Lovegood would say something like that. Have I not even been talking to Hermione Granger, but Loony Lovegood disguised as Hermione Granger this whole time?_

"What are you talking about?"

Hermione was having too much fun with this.

"Why, whatever do you mean?" Hermione said innocently.

"You're Loony Lovegood aren't you?"

"What?" Now Hermione was the one confused.

"You, you tricked me! Your Loony Lovegood disguised as Hermione Granger. No wonder you weren't making any sense. You don't have memory lost, your just loony all on your own!"

"I still don't have any idea what you're talking about."

"Oh really? Half the time no one knows what you're talking about."

"Draco, Draco!"

Draco kept yammering on and on.

"Draco!"

He turned to her out of breath.

"I'm not Luna."

"Who?"

"Loony Lovegood."

"Give it up Granger! I mean Lovegood. The act is over."

"I guess you're right. I've had my fun."

"Fun? You think this is funny? Well let me tell you a thing or two about the definition of "fun"..."

Hermione stopped him. "I'm not Luna Lovegood disguised as Hermione, **I** am Hermione. I am guilty of acting "loony" though."

"Go on," Draco encouraged.

"Remember when I hit my head on that tree branch?"

"Yes, but you said you didn't remember hitting your head or anything else in that matter."

"Hold on I'm getting there. Anyways, I hit my head on a tree branch, fell through the tree, and blacked out."

Draco nodded his head to show he was following her story.

"You found me and I was clueless, correct?"

"Yes, you were completely out of it or was that all a lie?"

"I really couldn't remember anything at first, honest."

"At first?"

"Uh yeah, my memory actually came back to me earlier this morning. I guess all I needed was a good night's sleep. I wanted to have a little fun with it, you know, so I pretended I was still out of it. I wanted to see how long I could go before you figured it out or I spilled the truth."

Draco looked down at the ground in silence.

"Really Draco, it was only a little joke. There's no need to get all mad about it. If it makes you feel any better, I'm sorry."

He looked up at her solemnly.

"Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"We need to talk."

"Huh?"

"You told me the truth. I should tell you the truth about why you're here."

"Okay."

"You better sit down, because you're probably not going to like it."


	5. Time is Up

Hermione was relieved that Draco was finally coming clean, but worried at the same time because she was afraid of what he was going to say.

Draco opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He was staring at something behind Hermione. She turned to look.

None other than Lucius Malfoy was standing right before their eyes.

"You have failed me, son. Your time is up."

"No! Father, listen to me. I was turning her in, honest. I just need more time," Draco pleaded.

"Your time is up. You failed as our son," Narcissa Malfoy appeared at Lucius's side.

"Mum? Y-you too?"

"It's time for you to learn your lesson," Bellatrix hissed as she skipped from behind Narcissa, "Naughty child, you will never fail the Dark Lord again when he's through with you."

"Now Bella, let's give the boy a chance to speak."

Draco gulped, "I have the M-mudblood. She's right in front of you. I just didn't have enough time to bring her back to you, my Lord."

"I don't see the mudblood!" Lord Voldemort seethed, "Stop lying to me child!"

Draco looked over to where Hermione had been the whole time. His panic rose. The stump from which she had been sitting, was now empty. She had vanished.

"B-but she was right here. I was talking to her!"

"Silence, child! You have failed to bring the Mudblood to me. She was the key to ending Harry Potter! You shall be punished!"

"My Lord, please," Draco pleaded, "I just need a little more time to find her."

"Time? You need more time? All you ask for is more time," Voldemort raised his wand, "I shall give you no more time to clean up your mistakes. Your time is up! Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light consumed his body. He took one last breath and collapsed to the ground.

"No! I only need a little more time," Draco screamed from his position on the ground.

"What in the world?" Hermione grumbled as she sat up to look at Draco, "What's going on?"

Draco put his hands to his face. He was alive. _I'm_ _alive! It was only a nightmare... that will soon turn into reality if I don't get out of this forest faster._

Hermione was still staring at him as if he took Voldemort's nose or something.

"What?"

"Um.. hello, you just bloody screamed your head off! You probably woke every creature in this blasted forest," Hermione sighed. She had been around boys so often, she was using their language. She hadn't sworn though, _yet_.

 _What next? Spitting constantly? Burping contests after having eight Butterbeers? Or maybe hitting each other with brooms. Does books count, because I've already been there done that. I don't think Ron has regained feeling in his arm just yet._

She smiled to herself. _Who said girls aren't as strong as boys? We've got brains and brawn._

"Well excuse me for waking you. I'll just deal with my life threatening dreams by myself," Draco huffed.

"Whatever," Hermione said, rolling her eyes and turning back over to sleep.

Hermione was restless, she couldn't help thinking about the events of the day. She had regained her memory that morning, stolen Draco's wand, pretended she not only still had memory loss, but that she was becoming a complete looney bin, and then Draco had poured the truth about why he had taken her here.

*flashback*

"He had told her that he had become a Death Eater so he could spy and see what they were planning on doing. She had asked him if he had figured out anything, but he had said that it was a secret.

When she asked why this had anything to do with her, he simply said, 'I can tell you this bit. The Death Eaters are searching for Muggles to turn in to be tortured by Voldemort. They may have known James or Lily Potter and have valuable information. You're muggle-born, and I know you have information on Potter, but don't worry, I just need your help to take down Voldemort. That's why I sent the Death Eaters to the next house so I can speak with you, and here we are now.'

'Who sent you to do this and why couldn't you tell me at first?'

'Uh… Dumbledore did, and it was too dangerous at first for me to tell you anything.'

They hadn't noticed it had gotten dark.

'We should probably get to sleep,' Draco suggested.

Hermione still had lots of questions like if he new who had broken into her bedroom, what he planned on doing to take Voldemort down, what made him switch sides, etc. Instead she nodded her head because he had finally opened up to her and she didn't want to push it. She was also quite tired.

She laid on the forest floor up against an old oak tree and fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Draco was looking down at the ground, thinking.

 _I_ _think that went pretty well. I believe she actually trusts me. Malfoys are quick on their feet when it comes to making up stories._

He chuckled, but quietly so he wouldn't wake her. He had went along with the story and had performed it perfectly."

*end of flashback*

Hermione finally fell back asleep.

Draco too, had been thinking about all that had happened that day.

 _Hermione was in for a shock when the time came. After all, it had all been a lie._

Please review! It makes me more motivated to write. If there's nothing nice you can say then don't say anything at all, and find a story that you can enjoy. That way everyone will be happier. ;)


	6. The Real Truth

_Two days, and two nights. I've been stuck in this hideous forest with Hermione Granger for two days and two nights. I really do need to get out of here as quickly as possible._

"Granger!"

Hermione sat up, alarmed. "Is it time for breakfast mum? Can't I just have five more minutes?"

Draco laughed out loud. He couldn't contain it.

Hermione rubbed the sleep away from her eyes.

"What are you laughing at?" Hermione said grumpily.

"Oh nothing," he smirked.

"Hmph, I'm sure you've sleep talked before too."

"Yeah, I probably said something like 'Can it Beaver!' Even in my sleep, I insult you," Draco laughed.

Hermione frowned. She hated being reminded about how her teeth had looked in the first and second year.

"I thought you wanted me to help you bring Voldemort down. Throwing out insults at me, is not a very good place to start if you want my help."

"Huh? Oh yeah," Draco said nervously.

 _Not one of my best moves._

"Are we going to stay in this forest forever?" Hermione asked, changing the subject much to Draco's relief.

"No, in fact we should get out of here as quick as possible."

"Why?"

"Because Voldemort will be…"

"Will be what?"

 _This is strange, Malfoy is always full of himself. He always knows what to say next whether it's an insult or ranting about what a perfect person he claims to be. He's definitely hiding something._

"He will be… he will most likely have… already ended Potter of course." Draco laughed nervously.

"You mean Harry?"

"Harry? Oh yeah, right."

Draco shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Uh, Draco?"

Draco looked up at her.

"Yeah?"

"So when do you plan on leaving?"

 _Honestly I would apparate myself out of here if I could, but I left my wand at my house when Draco apparated us here. I'm really missing it at this point._

"Now I guess is okay."

 _All right something is definitely wrong. There has never been a day when Draco has never said a sentence that didn't include boasting about himself or insulting another person._

Draco held out his hand to her.

"Uh…"

"Aren't you going to take it?"

Hermione was still pondering about his actions so she was clueless to the fact that he was holding out his hand so they could apparate out of the forest. Instead, she thought he wanted to hold her hand.

 _Is this why he's acting so nervous? Does Draco Malfoy, like me?_

Draco cleared his throat, bringing Hermione out of her daze.

He dropped his hand to his side.

 _Okay then, I guess she doesn't want to apparate out of here, but why? There was no reason she could possibly want to stay in this forest. Was there?_

Draco looked at her once again. She was blushing! _Does she want to stay here because, I'm here with her? Does Hermione Granger, fancy me?_

Hermione couldn't believe the thought of Draco Malfoy liking her. She was embarrassed standing next to someone who had teased her for years and now seemed to be interested in her all of a sudden. She blushed.

She looked over at Draco who was… blushing? _Okay that does it. It's official. Vain, egotistical, cocky Draco Malfoy has a crush on me._

Hermione didn't know how she felt on the subject whatsoever. I mean he had been a complete jerk to her for years, and why was he just now showing her he had feelings?

"Draco, can you tell me what exactly… happened when I lost my memory?"

 _Where did that come from? Maybe she thought that when she lost her memory, she had done something embarrassing like say she had feelings for me. Did she ever say that?_

Draco recalled all that happened that night.

"Well, after I found you, and you were conscious again… you were definitely clueless that's for sure."

"No, I already know what I did, well that's not exactly true, but I know I was out of my mind and not making any sense," she paused, "What did you do to, I don't know, cope or handle my uh… actions?"

"What did I do? Well I ur… um."

What did he do?

"I told you not to ask any more questions. I told you to go to sleep. Then I noticed you were shivering so I... I… I give you my coat so you would stop shivering."

Draco's face grew soft.

 _I_ _also told you we had been best friends, and got you to trust me. I also completely lied to you about leaving Lord Voldemort's side. I also never told you, that your face gets all scrunched up when you're angry with me, and I think it's cute so I continue to make you angry just to see it. I've never seen you smile, at me anyways, but when I see you with Potter and Weasley, I see how happy you are. You've never been happy around me. I've never allowed you to be._

"Y-you gave me your coat?"

"Yeah… Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"We need to talk."

"Again?"

"I need to tell you the truth. The real truth this time."

Something in the bushes started to move.

"Hermione look out!"

Draco tried to reach her, but a dark figure had already jumped from the behind the bushes and latched onto her arms.

"Let me go!" Hermione screamed.

The figure became clear as it stepped into the sunlight.

Draco gulped when he saw who it was.

Hermione was dragged away as she disappeared from Draco's view, deep into the woods.

He knew he would not be able to catch up, but he knew where she was being taken.

He apparated to Malfoy Manor, determined to get there before anything happened to Hermione.

He had hid his feelings from the world up until this point, but now he knew the first thing he wanted to share. He cared about Hermione Granger, possibly all along.


	7. His Choice

Fenrir Greyback dragged Hermione through the Forbidden Forest until they reached Malfoy Manor.

Hermione had screamed for help the whole way, but knew full and well she could not be heard. No one would possibly even be close to the Forbidden Forest on school grounds.

She had been thrown in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor before she realized what was happening. She looked all around her. There were quite a few people she didn't recognize. She did however, recognize Colin Creevey and Dennis Creevey. _How on Earth had those two been thrown in here?_

"Colin!"

Colin turned to look at Hermione. Realization spread on his face.

"Colin, why are you and your brother imprisoned down here? And why are there so many people?"

He scanned the crowd, as if he had just realized there were so many people trapped down there with them.

"Who are all these people?" Hermione asked.

"They're all muggles and muggle-borns," Colin finally replied, "You-Know-Who is capturing muggles and muggle-borns so he can torture them. He's trying to squeeze any known information about the Potters because he thinks they could lead him to Harry. He's only capturing muggles because they have no chance of fighting back because they have no magic, of course he thinks he's supreme over every witch and wizard, especially us muggle-borns. He thinks we are all too weak to fight back. Not that it matters. Even if we weren't muggle-born he would still win this battle."

Hermione gasped. _This is horrendous. Questioning unarmed and innocent muggles. Draco was right. That's why the Death Eaters were at my house, but I thought Draco said he hadn't told the truth. I was taken away before he got the chance to explain. If Voldemort sent the Death Eaters to my house, he's sure to have taken my parents!_

"Mum? Dad? Where are you?"

Hermione searched the crowd of muggles. She didn't see her parents anywhere. Hopefully they were still safe.

"Hermione Granger!" An ugly man with cold eyes snapped.

Hermione frantically searched the room for a possible place to hide.

The crowd of muggles who had once stood between her and the ugly man parted so the man could find her easier.

 _Innocent muggles my arse._

He stomped to her and grabbed her forcefully around the arm.

Hermione had a strong feeling that she wasn't being taken home.

As soon as Draco apparated to Malfoy Manor, he pushed the gates open and ran. He had almost reached the end of the Great Hall when he was stopped. He felt someone lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Draco, my boy, you've finally come to join us," Voldemort said in a chilling voice.

He led him through the hall. "You've come just in time. Well done capturing the muggle-born friend of Harry Potter. She was just about to be interrogated for any known information which I'm sure there is plenty. You said she was a stubborn girl, yes? No worries, Bella will deal with her. She'll teach her not to mess with those more superior than her after she's done."

Draco just keep on listening in silence. Wanting to defend her, but was too afraid.

Finally, Draco saw Hermione who still had her stubborn, but yet determined look she always wore upon her face. He could tell she was still frightened though as the color drained from her face.

Draco heard Voldemort whisper, "Let the fun begin."

"Are you or are you not a friend of Potter's?" Bellatrix's eyes were bulging and looked ready to kill.

"I-I am," Hermione faltered.

"Do you have any idea what the boy has planned involving my Lord?"

"I don't believe so."

"Lies! Tell me the truth or this will not end well for you," Bellatrix grinned wickedly.

 _Please Hermione. Just make something up or tell the truth for your own safety._

Hermione had not noticed that Draco had been seated next to Voldemort himself the entire time.

 _He lied to me. I can't believe he lied to me. I thought we were finally getting along. And to think, I thought he might actually care for me, but was I ever wrong._

The thought of him betraying her like that saddened her.

 _I_ _was_ _so stupid to think I could actually trust him, so stupid._

She was no longer afraid of what lay before her. She no longer cared. She was depressed.

"I've nothing to say," Hermione said plainly.

 _I_ _can't blame him. It's my own fault. I actually trusted him. I laid this out for myself. I'm the only one to blame._

There was a deadly silence throughout the room, that sank to the bottom of Draco's stomach.

 _No, I can't let her do this. I got her into this mess. I'm going to get her out._

Draco took a step forward. He was stopped by his father.

"What are you doing?" Lucius whispered harshly.

Draco pushed past him. Next, his mother stopped him.

"Draco, don't do this. Don't betray your father and I."

Draco looked into his mother's once genial face. Now, it was worn and there were dark circles under her eyes.

"I'm sorry mother," he simply said, "I have to do this, it's my choice."

He walked past her and over to Hermione and his insane aunt. He looked at Hermione with an apologetic smile.

Draco stood between the two, shielding Hermione from his crazed aunt.

Bellatrix looked at him strangely, and shot him a wild glare.

"Boy, move away from the girl. She must be punished for her faults. She's just a stupid little Mudblood."

"Hermione Granger is the most brightest witch of her age. She is a stubborn know-it-all, but she's always very determined. Surely you can't possibly mistake her for a stupid Mudblood," Draco said proudly.

Hermione smiled to herself.

"I'm warning you, step away from the Mudblood," Bellatrix was boiling with rage.

"No, I will not let any of you hurt her," Draco said firmly.

"You are making a very big mistake," Voldemort stood and pointed his wand at Draco.

Draco's dream kept flooding back to him. This would become his reality.

"Wait!" Hermione shouting making everyone freeze, "Draco don't do this. It's okay. At least I know you cared. Thank you for that," she smiled sadly at him.

"Hermione, I'm not letting them do this to you. I-I can't."

"He's fallen in love with the Mudblood," Bellatrix gagged in disgust.

Draco turned to Bellatrix. "Maybe I have, and maybe someday you'll find someone who you truly care about too. You'll want to protect them even if it means putting your own life in danger because their life is more valuable than your own."

He turned to Hermione and looked into her eyes.

"I've fallen for you Granger."

"Perhaps, I've fallen for you too Malfoy," Hermione confessed as she crossed her arms like the stubborn person she was.

He leaned in and brushed her lips, leaving her dazed by his gesture.

Draco quickly turned to the other Death Eaters before they could cast a deadly spell.

"If you let Hermione live, I promise I'll do whatever you ask of me from here on out. Please let her go, I'll never betray you again."

Voldemort was unconvinced. "You promise to do one thing, and then you go back on your word when you find out she is safe, am I right?"

"As long as Hermione is safe then I will be content. Anything you want from me, I'll give it to you," Draco said determined.

"You don't have to do this Draco, please. I'll be fine," Hermione assured him.

"Anything?" Voldemort asked.

"Yes, anything you want."

"You must bring Harry Potter to me, got it? And if you fail, the Mudblood will be held hostage once again and you will have large consequences if you betray me."

"Yes, my Lord," Draco agreed.

"Draco what are you doing?" Hermione whispered.

"Trust me," Draco winked at her and grinned.

Draco turned back to Voldemort. "Do we have a deal?"

"You mustn't fail me, boy. I would be losing a young man with much potential otherwise, but I'm warning you. One false move and you're done."

Draco nodded.

Draco and Hermione slipped out of the room when the attention was back on the interrogated muggles.

"What did you just get yourself into?" Hermione sighed, "What about the poor others still trapped inside of there?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan. Besides I saved the most important person anyways."

"You didn't have to do that you know."

Draco nodded his head to prove that he did.

"Do you promise you're going to help save all of those innocent people?"

"I promise I'll do my best, but I won't be free until Voldemort is defeated."

"This time it's for real right? You really are on the good side."

He pushed her hair behind her ear. "With you, I've always been."

"Until we meet again, Malfoy."

"Until we meet again, Granger."


	8. Epilogue

"Happily ever after," Hermione finished with an exasperated sigh.

"Again!" the small child bounced excitedly on Hermione's lap.

"Sweetie, mummy's tired. I can read it again tomorrow."

Beverly looked up at her mother with pleading eyes, and her lip started to quiver.

"I've read this six times to you already, and that's only today."

"But _Cinderella_ is my favorite! Please mummy just once more. I promise I'll go to bed right after."

Hermione sighed. Her daughter always seemed to get her way, but who could blame her. She was only three.

Hermione ended up reading _Cinderella_ for the seventh time that night. She was sure she would have nightmares about talking mice and pumpkins.

"Are you reading her one of those muggle books again?"

Hermione turned to the sound of her husband's voice.

"Why yes, indeed I am."

"Do you want to join us daddy?!" The little girl started to bounce energetically on her mother's lap once again.

"No, you're going to bed. Remember your promise?"

"Yes, mummy. I remember," she said sadly and ceased jumping.

"How about I take you to get your pajamas on and I'll tuck you in so mummy doesn't turn you into a pumpkin?"

The small girl jumped down from her mother's lap and ran to her father. She wrapped her small arms around his legs.

He picked her up and swung her around.

"I guess that's a yes then."

Draco put her down when she started to get dizzy.

"I know exactly what I want to wear. I'm a big girl now daddy. I can pick out my pajamas all by myself!"

"I guess you don't need me then do you?"

"Weelllllllll... I do need someone to tuck me in and get rid of all the monsters from under my bed."

"Don't worry, I'll scare Weasley and Potter away as fast as possible."

"Uncle Ron and Uncle Harry aren't monsters."

"We can't be too sure. I think that flop of red hair of his is probably hiding something, maybe horns."

Hermione cleared her throat, annoyed.

"Do you know what's scarier than monsters, Bev?" Draco chuckled nervously, "... your mother."

 _Oh, that does it._ Hermione stood.

"Run!"

Draco scooped his daughter up into his arms and dashed off to her bedroom.

Hermione sat back down and rolled her eyes. _Goofballs._

She sat staring dreamily into space as she thought of the man she had come to love and the relationship between him and her daughter.

Hermione yawned and took it as a warning to get to bed. She looked around for her slippers.

 _They were here a minute ago. Oh no, I'm not living in a Cinderella story, am I? Although, I do already have my prince charming._ When Hermione found her slippers, Draco had already put Beverly to bed. The two of them wandered off to their own bedroom.

"Sometimes I wonder what I would have done if I hadn't met you," Draco stated.

"How come?"

"My life would still be upside down and my parents would still be pressuring me to believe in things that I didn't think were entirely true. I would have never been stood up to because everyone else was entirely too afraid to confront the son of a Death Eater. I would never have felt feelings for someone I was not allowed to associate with. I would never have argued and teased the girl I had liked for years, in hopes of her returning her feelings. I would never have gotten to ask her to marry me. I would never have had the chance to have a family of my own. I would have never gotten to say I love you and mean it because I didn't know what love was until she came into my life. I would have never loved if she hadn't been a part of my life. Thank you for being there for me even when I refused to ask for help. Thank you for being your wonderful, stubborn, know-it-all self."

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips.

"And thank you for showing me that everyone has a good side, sometimes others just need someone else to help them get through their struggles," Hermione commented.

"Wahhhhhhhhhhh..."

They both smiled. They had gotten twenty minutes of rest, but they were both grateful.

"Who's turn?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not for sure, maybe we can both go this time."

Draco and Hermione first checked Beverly's room to make sure the noise hadn't woken her. She lay fast asleep.

They made their way to the nursery and the two crying babies. Draco picked Greyson up while Hermione cradled Charlotte in her arms.

"Imagine how this would be with anymore. We would definitely be sleep deprived," Draco rocked the baby boy back to sleep.

"Oh, I can imagine," Hermione said knowingly.

Draco wore a look of astonishment.

The baby had fallen asleep and Draco laid him back inside the cradle.

He rushed to Hermione's side. He took the sleeping baby girl away from her and laid her beside her brother. Draco scooped Hermione up into his arms and carried her into their bedroom.

"Draco, I'm fine. Not this again. This is our fourth child for goodness sake, I can take care of myself."

"You know I can't listen to you. I love you too much not to care. I may be a little overprotective, but I just want you to be safe and that's my job. The day you allow me to do that will be a miracle."

"Miracles can happen," Hermione told him, "I married you after all, and I don't regret it one bit. Turns out, that was the best decision of my life."

Draco kissed the top of her head.

They both fell asleep dreaming of their future together. They brought out the best in each other in every way possible. They couldn't be happier.

Every couple fights, that's natural, but those who truly love each other forgive and forget. Their love is more powerful than the subject that was fought over, whatever it may be. Love can overcome any sitituation. Love conquers all.


End file.
